Jeremaih 31:1-6 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Colossians 3:1-4 Acts 10:34-43 Matthew 28:1-10

Texts

Today’s message invites us to recognize Jesus as King over our lives. And to do that, we must confront a difficult question:

Can we trust ourselves in all the works of human hands?

In Jeremiah 31, the Lord speaks tenderly to Israel:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
I will rebuild you…”

Israel needed salvation, not because God abandoned them, nor because their enemies were too strong, but because they placed their trust in human strength, human systems, and human solutions. They were Lord over their people or other empires Lord over them.

This is not just Israel’s story.
It is the story of the whole world, even today.

Why does this matter so much?

Because the human heart is easily captivated by what we can build, control, or secure for ourselves. Yet Scripture calls us to a different pursuit:

Colossians 3:1–4 urges us to seek the things above, where Christ is seated, not the things of earth.
Even if we will lose everything we have, or some people will mock us or call us crazy.

Israel longed for a Messiah but what kind of Messiah did they expect?

• A political liberator
• A military leader
• Someone to overthrow Rome
• Someone to restore Israel’s earthly power

But they didn’t want to be different from Rome.
They just wanted to become Rome just with themselves on top.

This is what it means to seek earthly things.

And we often do the same.
We come to God, but only to ask Him to help us chase the same goals the world chases.
We envy the world, imitate the world, and trust the world’s systems for safety and identity.

All the while, we forget Jesus who is our King.

Peter’s Revelation

In Acts 10:34–43, Peter finally understands:

“God shows no favoritism…
but welcomes anyone who fears Him and does what is right.”

36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)

37 you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced:

38 with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him.

(Jesus didn’t seek earthly wealth, or find security with having connections with strong people or political power.
He just simply follow the will of His Father in heaven regardless of any circumstances they went through.)

39 we are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree,

40 but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen,
41 not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.

43 About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Jesus was God’s message:

• To Israel
• To Rome
• To the entire world

A message that says:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

Jesus came doing good, healing the oppressed, revealing the Father’s heart.
He was killed—but God raised Him up.
And the apostles became witnesses of His resurrection.

Why?
Because the world was blinded by its own ways—its own power, its own security, its own achievements.

Rome offered safety.
Rome offered order.
Rome offered prosperity.
They became Lord over their people even to Israel
They didn’t recognize their King, instead crucify him just to protect Rome, Ceasar, Pilate, the powerful Lords of Rome who are Lords over them

I think I gave the message clearly.
The world still offers the same things today.

None of these can replace the true King.

I believe the gospel calls us to become witnesses of the Lord’s glorious Kingdom
a Kingdom not built by human hands,
not defined by earthly power,
and not sustained by human strength.

It is a Kingdom revealed in Christ where we live, we stand and we surrender our lives into, no matter if it separates is from security, peace or identity that the world gives.
He is our King and He our Lord
He is our comfort and He is our strength